and very lovely experience. I went to hang some washing out. When I turned to get the next item from the basket there was a tiny wren sitting on the handle of the basket. Nothing too unusual in that I suppose but what was unusual was that it stayed there for, perhaps, almost a minute. It seemed to be looking at me and "chatting" to me.
Despite two cats who visit on a regular basis we still have a lot of birds in our garden. They frustrate and infuriate the Senior Cat at times. The blackbirds particularly drive him to despair as they scatter the straw he uses as mulch. But he keeps the water in the bird bath and multiple containers clean and fresh. The cats, lizards, a possum or two and, once in a while, a koala all use the water. I suppose the fruit rats must too.
But the birds make the most use of it. The blackbirds make a mess of the water too. Are they the untidiest birds around?
The sparrows and swallows dive in and out of it. The tiny wrens and the even smaller honey eaters use the water as daintily as they themselves are.
We can watch honey eaters in among the fuschia as we eat lunch. I can watch the sparrows cleaning the tomato plants of insects as I work. I can watch the pigeons strutting along the ridge of the roof next door - and then sitting and chatting to each other like old men on a park bench.
In the mornings I can find the rainbow lorikeets eating their breakfast on our front lawn.
I don't know a lot about birds. I can only recognise a few varieties. I am not particularly interested in knowing more. It takes away the magic and knowledge gets in the way of imagination.
And what I wanted to imagine for that moment was that the wren had chosen to stop and have a short conversation with me. Ridiculous.
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3 comments:
Nothing ridiculous about it at all. Birds can be very curious when they overcome their normal wariness. I've been a bird-watcher all my life (not a twitcher, ticking off species) and there is something about watching them go about their business which makes a whole lot of things better.
Oh Cat! You are lucky, they are wonderful little birds - love them to bits! Ros
My husband loves birds of all sorts, so here is a paradise for him...few pesticides means plenty of birds.
There is a tiny wren like bird that perches on the pot plant on the breakfast table on the balcony...not in the least put out by our presence, head cocked to one side watching us.
No wonder you loved your conversation so much.
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